Nigeria acts on U.S. request for extradition

Aug. 6, 2013
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by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - Nigeria is asking a court to extradite a citizen wanted in the United States for terrorism.

According to court papers made available Wednesday the U.S. Embassy is requesting the extradition of Lawal Olaniyi Babafemi on a federal indictment charging he provided support to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

The papers say Babafemi, 33, admitted to FBI agents that he traveled to Yemen with AQAP members and was given $8,600 to return to Nigeria and recruit English speakers to radicalize others.

Nigeria requested his extradition at a court in Abuja on Tuesday, saying Babafemi fled home from the United States earlier this year.

AQAP claims many terrorist attacks including the 2009 attempted bombing of a Northwest Airline flight from Amsterdam to Detroit by a Nigerian with explosives hidden in his underwear.

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